Compare the2024 Kia TellurideVS 2024 BMW X7

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Telluride are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

Both the Telluride and X7 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Telluride has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X7’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Telluride are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The X7 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Telluride and the X7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Kia Telluride has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The X7 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The Telluride comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The X7’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Telluride 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the X7 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Telluride’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 42 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 15th.

On the EPA test cycle the Telluride gets better mileage than the X7:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Telluride uses regular unleaded gasoline. The X7 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

For better maneuverability, the Telluride’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the X7 w/Rear Steering’s (38.8 feet vs. 40.7 feet). The Telluride’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the X7 xDrive40i’s (38.8 feet vs. 42.7 feet).

The Kia Telluride may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1300 to 1550 pounds less than the BMW X7.

The Telluride is 6.7 inches shorter than the X7, making the Telluride easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Telluride has standard seating for 8 passengers; the X7 can only carry 7.

The Telluride has 1.6 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 4.8 inches more rear legroom, 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.5 inches more third row headroom and 7.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the X7.

The front step up height for the Telluride is .5 inches lower than the X7 (19.5” vs. 20”). The Telluride’s rear step up height is 1.2 inches lower than the X7’s (19.3” vs. 20.5”).

The Telluride’s cargo area provides more volume than the X7.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Telluride easier. The Telluride’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.7 inches, while the X7’s liftover is 32.5 inches.

The Telluride’s cargo area is larger than the X7’s in almost every dimension:

The Telluride’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X7’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

The Telluride has a much higher standard payload capacity than the X7 (1662 vs. 1180 lbs.).

The Telluride has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the X7 (1664 vs. 1261 lbs.).

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Telluride has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Telluride EX/SX has standard front air conditioned seats and the Telluride SX Prestige also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The X7 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Telluride SX X-Pro/SX Prestige has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Telluride is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The X7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Telluride owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Telluride will cost $5560 to $12500 less than the X7 over a five-year period.

The Telluride will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Telluride will retain 57.67% to 58.24% of its original price after five years, while the X7 only retains 46.74% to 50.28%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Telluride will be $43638 to $93414 less than for the BMW X7.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Telluride and the BMW X7, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Telluride first among upper midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The X7 was rated second in its category.

The Telluride was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 4 more times in the last 5 years. The X7 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the Telluride as their 2020 Sport Utility of the Year. The X7 has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Telluride as the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The X7 has never been chosen.

The Kia Telluride outsold the BMW X7 by almost four to one during 2023.